Gauge bars of the type contemplated herein are shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,095,651, issued on Jul. 2, 1963, to A. H. Luedicke, Jr., entitled "Tram Gage." The tram gage includes a bar which is held by the user to align pointers on the bar with control points on a vehicle. The pointers are mounted on a pair of brackets which are moveable along the bar to the control points. A measuring tape is provided on the bar which is operatively connected to the brackets to indicate the distance between the pointers on the brackets. The distance between the pointers can then be read directly from the bar. This type of a gauge is particularly useful in measuring distances greater than the reach of the individual holding the bar. They are particularly useful in auto repair work where the bar is used to span both the width and the length of the automobile. They are satisfactory for use in determining horizontal relationships between control points but are particularly difficult to handle when extended over long distances or between control points at different elevations.
Measuring bar devices of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,689,888, issued on Sep. 1, 1987, to Roger B. Aldrich, et al., entitled "Measuring Device For Use With Automotive Frame Straightening Equipment," describe a typical measuring system used for automobile repair which is suspended beneath the automobile. In this type of a system a longitudinal bar is used to establish a longitudinal datum line for the vehicle with one or more measuring bars mounted laterally to the longitudinal bar for determining the distances of control points from the datum line. These systems are unduly complex and difficult to set up requiring extensive instruction and familiarization with the system in order to become proficient in their use.
The above-described systems are usually used in conjunction with collision repair equipment well known in the art. A disadvantage of those systems, when used with collision repair equipment, is the need to repeatedly disassemble and reassemble the measuring system during the process of applying forces to the vehicle frame being repaired. Another disadvantage with the type of systems described above is that they typically need more than one person to manipulate the measuring bars. In operation the above-described systems are either suspended from the vehicle being repaired or attached to a transverse bar extending the length of the vehicle being repaired or held by the operator; in such instances reliable, repeatable measurements are difficult to obtain.
A need to provide a support system for a gauge bar measuring system that is easily set up and manipulated by one person, which is independent of the vehicle being repaired and which can be used to establish datum planes to verify the location of control points on a vehicle. The present invention fills these needs.